Nehemiah 9 8

Nehemiah 9:8 kjv

And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:

Nehemiah 9:8 nkjv

You found his heart faithful before You, And made a covenant with him To give the land of the Canaanites, The Hittites, the Amorites, The Perizzites, the Jebusites, And the Girgashites? To give it to his descendants. You have performed Your words, For You are righteous.

Nehemiah 9:8 niv

You found his heart faithful to you, and you made a covenant with him to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites and Girgashites. You have kept your promise because you are righteous.

Nehemiah 9:8 esv

You found his heart faithful before you, and made with him the covenant to give to his offspring the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite. And you have kept your promise, for you are righteous.

Nehemiah 9:8 nlt

When he had proved himself faithful, you made a covenant with him to give him and his descendants the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashites. And you have done what you promised, for you are always true to your word.

Nehemiah 9 verses

Nehemiah 9 8 Meaning

Nehemiah 9:8 articulates God's unwavering faithfulness, rooted in His divine attribute of righteousness, through His covenant with Abraham. It highlights God's pre-knowledge and perception of Abraham's loyalty, which prompted the unilateral establishment of a covenant promising the land occupied by various nations to Abraham's future generations. The verse then declares that God fully brought these specific promises to pass, underscoring His perfect execution of His own word.

Nehemiah 9 8 Context

Nehemiah 9 is a communal prayer and confession offered by the Levites on behalf of the Israelites after the wall of Jerusalem had been rebuilt and the Law of Moses publicly read by Ezra. This chapter, following the dedication of the wall and the reinstitution of Sabbath observance, marks a deep spiritual renewal among the people who have gathered for fasting and confession.

The prayer serves as a historical recount of God's covenant faithfulness towards Israel despite their continuous rebellion. It begins with God's selection of Abram (later Abraham) and His establishment of the foundational covenant, as seen in verse 8. By tracing God's gracious acts from creation through the Exodus, wilderness wanderings, conquest of Canaan, and judges period, all the way to their present condition of exile and return, the Levites emphasize God's unwavering character and their own ancestral failures. Verse 8 sets the precedent for God's fidelity, reminding the people that the very foundation of their nation—the promised land—was a gift rooted in God's prior perception of Abraham's heart and His unfailing word. This historical recounting aims to humble the people, acknowledge God's justice in their chastisement, and build hope for future restoration based solely on His consistent grace.

Nehemiah 9 8 Word analysis

• And you found his heart loyal before You,
  • And: Connects this act of God to the preceding verse, which mentions God choosing Abram.
  • You found: Implies God's omniscient knowledge and personal perception. This is not a human discovery, but a divine affirmation of Abraham's internal disposition. God actively saw and approved.
  • his heart: Refers to Abraham's inner being, the seat of his will, intellect, and affections. It signifies his complete internal disposition.
  • loyal: From the Hebrew root אמן (ʼaman), from which comes נֶאְמָן (ne'eman), meaning "faithful," "firm," "trustworthy," or "steadfast." It points to Abraham's foundational belief and steady obedience to God, particularly as shown in Gen 15:6 where his belief was credited as righteousness. This loyalty or faithfulness was not perfect, but God recognized its sincerity and validity.
  • before You: Emphasizes that this loyalty was perceived by God directly and personally, implying transparency and truthfulness in Abraham's walk with God.
• and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, and the Girgashites—to give it to his descendants.
  • and made a covenant: From Hebrew בְּרִית (berit), a solemn, binding agreement. This was an unconditional covenant initiated by God, not based on Abraham's merits but on God's sovereign choice and His prior perception of Abraham's heart. God established it on His own terms.
  • with him: Refers to Abraham, personally.
  • to give the land: The central promise of the Abrahamic covenant. It refers to the physical territory.
  • of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, and the Girgashites: These six specific nations occupied the land. The listing underscores the magnitude and humanly impossible nature of the promise—taking territory from powerful established groups. It also indicates the specific boundaries of the promised land. (Other lists sometimes include Hivites, identifying 7 or 10 nations in total depending on the passage).
  • to give it to his descendants: Hebrew זֶרַע (zera), "seed" or "offspring." This highlights the generational aspect of the covenant, ensuring that the promise extends beyond Abraham to his vast posterity.
• And You have performed Your words, for You are righteous.
  • And You have performed: From Hebrew קִיַּמְתָּ (qiyamta), meaning "established," "fulfilled," "kept," or "brought to stand." It emphasizes that God actively brought His spoken promises to full fruition. This phrase confirms the historical reality of the conquest and possession of Canaan by Israel.
  • Your words: Refers to God's specific promises, declarations, and oath given to Abraham regarding the land. God’s words are not idle, but powerful and effective.
  • for You are righteous: From Hebrew צַדִּיק (tsaddiq), meaning "just," "right," or "righteous." This states the foundational attribute of God's character that guarantees the fulfillment of His promises. God's righteousness demands that He be faithful to His word; He cannot be untrue to Himself or His declarations. His justice and integrity are perfect, ensuring the absolute reliability of His promises.

Nehemiah 9 8 Bonus section

The portrayal of God "finding" Abraham's heart loyal suggests a deep intimacy and divine insight that precedes the formal covenant. This isn't about Abraham earning the covenant but God seeing and affirming a responsive, though imperfect, faith that He Himself had initiated and was working within Abraham. The comprehensive listing of the six Canaanite tribes is not just geographical but also foreshadows the long struggle and ultimate victory that would define Israel's early history in the land, demonstrating God's faithfulness despite significant opposition. The declarative "You have performed Your words" serves as a historical summary statement, reminding the Israelites in Nehemiah's time (who are confessing their own failures to uphold their end of the Mosaic covenant) of God's perfect consistency, providing a foundational hope rooted in divine trustworthiness.

Nehemiah 9 8 Commentary

Nehemiah 9:8 succinctly summarizes a pivotal moment in salvation history: the initiation and fulfillment of God's covenant with Abraham concerning the land. The prayer attributes the genesis of this covenant to God's omniscient gaze into Abraham's heart, perceiving his "loyal" disposition—a heart made firm in faith towards God (Gen 15:6). It underscores that while Abraham responded with belief, the covenant itself was an unmerited, gracious act initiated by God, promising the seemingly impossible feat of giving a land already occupied by formidable nations to a yet-unborn multitude. The passage explicitly lists the incumbent inhabitants, emphasizing the tangible nature of the divine promise and the immense challenge it represented to human eyes. Crucially, the verse shifts from the promise to its complete execution: "And You have performed Your words." This confirms God's perfect fidelity, a truth demonstrably validated by Israel's historical occupation of Canaan. The profound reason for this unwavering reliability is explicitly stated: "for You are righteous." God's righteousness is not merely about judgment but fundamentally about His covenant faithfulness and consistency with His own character, ensuring that every word He speaks will indeed come to pass. This provides a deep well of assurance for those listening to the prayer, reinforcing the conviction that the God who fulfilled promises in the past would continue to act faithfully in their present struggles.